Ice Candles

So, the other day I am in the kitchen cooking up a storm for dinner (pizza), Z-man is at the table doing homework when Supergirl walks into the kitchen and says she wants to do a craft. I suggest some coloring but she says, no, I want to do something cooler (no pun intended at this point).

Oh.

Well, a trip to Michael’s is out of the question at this point in time so I am left looking around my kitchen with a slightly panicked look on my face wondering what we can do.

First step is to make the base in the tumbler for the cans. Supergirl took a sharpie and measured so that the top of the can would be just over the lip of the tumbler and then we filled the glasses with water and put them into the freezer.

That’s it for day one, all the action really started the next day (again, while dinner was being prepared, mac and cheese tonight, because what other time is there to make ice candles, right?)

Once the base is done you need to place empty cans into the tumbler. First though, we need to take some safety concerns into account. My can opener cuts the top right off the cans leaving a fairly sharp rim, so I covered it with tape so Supergirl would not cut herself while handling the cans. Crafts and blood just do not go together!

Next you need to weight the cans down so they do not float around when you add the next layer of water. The can will form the tunnel that the tea candle is put it so it needs to be pretty straight.

Again, dinner prep work going on (hot dogs), what can I use? Change bucket! We used pennies and nickels to weight the cans down.

and then added in the first layer of water. Supergirl decided it would be green.

Into the freezer it goes!

To add the next level you need really cold water (so that it doesn’t melt the layer below when you pour it in) and Supergirl decided on purple.

We had room in the tumbler for one more layer the next day and Supergirl decided on orange. This layer was not added during dinner prep, but instead as we were getting ready to go to school in the morning. Sigh.

Getting the ice candles out of the tumbler is easy. Carefully fill the can with hot water, making sure to not spill any out or it will melt the candle, and then pull the can out. You should a have tunnel down the middle big enough to drop a tea light into. Next, run hot water around the outside of the tumbler and then invert the cup and the candle should slide out. Drop the tea light in and use a BBQ lighter to light the candle.

A spur of the moment craft that took up a few days and ended up being pretty cool (and pun TOTALLY intended!)